Why Kontoor Brands Stock Popped Today

By Jeremy Bowman – Mar 3, 2026 at 1:13PM ESTKey PointsKontoor's Wrangler brand delivered strong Q4 results.Its Helly Hansen acquisition appears to be paying off.It trades at a forward P/E of just 12. On a down day for the market due to uncertainty from the war in Iran, Kontoor Brands (KTB +18.91%) was a rare winner after it reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results. Kontoor, which was previously owned by V.F. Corp, owns lifestyle and workwear brands like Wrangler, Lee, and Helly Hansen, the last of which it acquired from Canadian Tire in June 2025. Kontoor easily beat estimates on the top and bottom lines and impressed with its 2026 guidance. As of 12:35 p.m. ET, the stock was up 18.4%. Image source: Getty Images. Kontoor impresses in a difficult market Kontoor's revenue jumped 46% in the quarter to $1.02 billion, beating estimates at $976.2 million, with much of the increase driven by the Helly Hansen acquisition. On an organic basis, which excludes the acquisition and foreign currency changes, Kontoor reported 9.3% revenue growth. That was driven by Wrangler, whose revenue was up 12% to $561.9 million, while Lee returned to growth, up 2% to $198.1 million. Results were also strong on the bottom line as Wrangler's operating profit jumped 22% to $128.6 million. Lee fell as a result of investments in the brand, and management called 2026 a transition year for Lee. Overall, adjusted operating income of $150 million, up from 48% a year ago, and adjusted earnings per share rose 26% to $1.73, which beat expectations at $1.64. CEO Scott Baxter said, "2025 was a transformational year for Kontoor, highlighted by the acquisition of Helly Hansen, strong growth in Wrangler and disciplined execution." ExpandNYSE: KTBKontoor BrandsToday's Change(18.91%) $12.26Current Price$77.08Key Data PointsMarket Cap$3.6BDay's Range$70.81 - $79.7552wk Range$50.00 - $87.00Volume1.7MAvg Vol781KGross Margin46.11%Dividend Yield3.22% What's next for Kontoor Kontoor's guidance was also ahead of the Wall Street view as it sees revenue of $3.4 billion-$3.45 billion, which represents growth of 9%, or 11% excluding the impact of the prior year, and compares to the consensus at $3.45 billion. That includes about five months of new revenue from the Helly Hansen deal. On the bottom line, it sees adjusted EPS of $6.40-$6.50, which is an increase of 15%-16%, ahead of expectations at $5.96. Overall, the future looks bright for Kontoor after the last update, as the apparel stock trades at a forward P/E of just around 12. Read NextMar 3, 2023 •By Rich DupreyWhy Kontoor Brands Is Jumping 17% Higher This WeekMar 2, 2021 •By Motley Fool TranscribersKontoor Brands Inc [Ktb/I] (KTB) Q4 2020 Earnings Call TranscriptOct 30, 2020 •By Motley Fool TranscribersKontoor Brands Inc [Ktb/I] (KTB) Q3 2020 Earnings Call TranscriptAug 6, 2020 •By Asit Sharma, CPAKontoor Brands Cleans Up Its Balance Sheet, But Sales Woes RemainJul 27, 2020 •By Rich DupreyWhy Kontoor Brands Is Up 12% TodayMay 7, 2020 •By Timothy GreenKontoor Brands Suspends Dividend as Sales TumbleAbout the AuthorJeremy Bowman has been a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst, covering technology, consumer goods, and macroeconomic trends since 2011.

Before The Motley Fool, Jeremy was a newspaper reporter, restaurant manager, and English teacher abroad. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Colorado College and a master’s degree in business administration from American University. One of his Motley Fool headlines was briefly featured on Late Night with Stephen Colbert.TMFHoboX@TMFBowmanStocks MentionedKontoor BrandsNYSE: KTB$77.08(+18.91%)+$12.26VFNYSE: VFC$18.98(+0.26%)+$0.05*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.